Flooding protection motion to take centre stage at meeting of Fife Council

Fife Council alone cannot shoulder the financial burden of protecting communities from flooding, according to two Lib-Dem councillors.

Prompted by a wave of severe storms and serious flooding events in Cupar, Freuchie Mill and Rosyth in recent years, Lib-Dem councillors Margaret Kennedy (Cupar) and Al Clark (St Andrews) have submitted a motion calling on both the council and Holyrood to step up.

“These communities have had to evacuate homes and close their businesses with no real timescales of when they can return,” the motion from councillors Kennedy and Clark said.

“The council is pleased with the current progress that has been made to deliver the property flood resilience grant scheme, initial survey work and what has been committed to in the council budget for 2024, however more needs to be done to support Fife communities.”

The motion specifically highlights the UK Government’s Bellwin Scheme as a possible solution. The scheme is intended to provide extra funding to local authorities in the immediate wake of an emergency such as flooding or storm damage.

However, councillors Kennedy and Clark said the fund has only been used by the Scottish Government 17 times over the last four years. According to them, the fund has only provided local authorities with funding twice.

The motion will ask the full council to call upon the Scottish Government to conduct an “immediate audit of the use of the Bellwin Scheme in Scotland.”

If the motion is approved, the council will also ask Holyrood to ensure the “availability of additional grants and other forms of funding which would be payable directly to homeowners and business owners in weather events beyond those classified as Amber by the Met Office.”

However, the motion doesn’t stop there. It also makes demands on Fife Council as well.

If it is approved, the council will be asked to review its drain and gulley clearing resources to ensure it is sufficient.

The council would also be asked to continue its work to ensure all of its maps are up to date on gullies and drains. It also asks for a report to consider the costs and benefits of hiring a dedicated flood manager and a separate harbour and coastline manager.

These reports would be brought back to Fife’s Cabinet Committee for consideration in the future.

However, the motion will first need to go through the full council – it’s possible that some pieces could be chopped and changed during debate.

The motion will be considered next Thursday.